Whenever there was/is evidence of conflict among the heirs in an intestate estate, the court examines the credentials and standing of the potential administrators/administrixes and makes the selection. In fact, even in testate estates the court has the power to accept or reject any person named as representative in the will. While for centuries, we have followed such statutes concerning administrations and descent and distribution, there have been many, many rejections by courts for good cause shown. That applies to any and all estates. You may be near certain that the appointment took place by order of the court, her relationship to the dead person having been well considered. Paul **** Subject: Re: [VA-ROOTS] Can a step-mother be the administratrix in Virginia circa 1760? A law passed by the Virginia General Assembly in October 1748 appears to have been in force at the time of the estate you describe. [Hening's Statutes, vol. 5, p. 454-467, "An Act directing the manner of granting probats of Wills, and Administration of Intestates Estates."] Page 458 lists the order that persons should be appointed to administer an estate: "...administration of the estate of every person dying intestate ... shall be granted in manner following: First to the husband or wife of the deceased, and if none such, or if they refuse, then secondly, to the child or children, or their legal representatives, and if none such appear or claim, then thirdly, to the father or mother, or if none such, then fourthly, to the brothers and sisters, and if none such, then to the next of kindred to the deceased persons ..." If the daughter in question had no husband, no child, and no father, then her mother would have been next in line to administer her estate. If her mother was not alive, then it would have gone to her siblings and then to next of kin (e.g. an uncle or cousin). If you can determine that an uncle or cousin existed who was not offered the job, then it is likely that the administratrix was the woman's natural mother. But if the estate being administered was still her father's estate (and had not been fully probated by the time of the daughter's death) then the widow of that man should have been the administratrix, whether or not she was the daughter's mother. Simple? Donald L. Wilson, Virginiana Librarian, Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center Date: Question: Were there any inheritance laws which prevented a step-mother = from becoming the administratrix of a step-daughter? Or can I reasonably = conclude that she would have been the daughter's mother? No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.17.0/1180 - Release Date: 12/10/2007 2:51 PM To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html